Protests against stay-at-home orders become political

Protesters flooded the streets rebelling against their states extended stay-at-home orders on April 20,2020 in Olympia, Washington. Image courtesy of ABC News

This past week I haven’t been able to decipher what is more alarming: the coronavirus pandemic or the eruption of people rallying against social distancing restrictions that have been put in place for the safety of the world.

As of April 21, the total of coronavirus cases in the U.S have reached an astounding 776,093. This also includes 41,758 total deaths as numbers continue to climb at exceeding rates each day. Starting from February 18, the U.S. reported to have 10,442 cases. By March 18, the U.S. reported 720,630 cases. Meaning, there was an increase of 710,188 cases within just one month.

The statistics speak for themselves. If people are continuously dying, why would these protesters rebel against any stay-at-home orders? A system that was created to prevent the increased spread of coronavirus while protecting us against the number of increased deaths.

In response to more counties now extending their stay-at-home order until May, protesters can be seen on television holding up Trump 2020 signs, discussing topics about how the stay-at-home order is a complete overreaction, using pro-life ideologies to back up how what they choose to do with their bodies during this pandemic is their choice, signs about tyranny and infringing on their constitutional right to bear arms.

As of March 20, 2020, the National Instant Criminal Background Check Systems have had a total of 210,308 background checks conducted due to a national surge to purchase guns among the increased severity of the pandemic. For this reason, I find it very plausible that in the face of record purchases of weapons there would be tighter restrictions placed on the ability to purchase and carry a gun, especially taking into account that there were 15,292 deaths in the U.S. due to firearms in 2019.

Triumphantly crowding the streets while wavering confederate flags, toting guns and raising up signs that read “Give Me Liberty or Give COVID-19,” I believe the conjunction of these protests are no longer being held for the purpose regarding the concerns of the economy and the effects a stay-at-home order has on an individual’s standard of living. I believe this has become a cult of political propaganda directly instigated by President Donald Trump.

As of Trump’s infamous Twitter account, in which he so passionately feels obligated to devote most of his time using the platform to speak his mind, April 17 he sent out a series of tweets saying to liberate select states such as Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia while also stating, “Save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!”

In addition, on April 20 Trump released a viral video of President Barack Obama’s head photographically embedded into a pre-existing commercial where he is accompanied by fellow African Americans males watching a Joe Biden commercial on the couch. Joe Biden can be both seen and heard using chopped up dialogue of him talking about leg hair in the video, obviously addressing nothing pertaining to politics. The men sitting on the couch then look at Obama with faces of uncertainty and disbelief while Obama’s response was “What?”, ending the commercial skit with a Trump and Pence campaign advertisement.

It is clear that with references to the 2nd Amendment, along with the continuation of advertising himself and Vice President Mike Pence, he is brazenly fueling his campaign into this current coronavirus crisis as a strategy to gain votes in the upcoming 2020 election. As tension and irritability rises within the people, instead of choosing to address these protests and reassure that a stay-at-home order is what’s best for our people at this time, Trump has seized this opportunity to insinuate the inclusion of outlier topics instead of addressing the long term physical health benefits of such safety precautions amid this coronavirus pandemic.

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